Social Enterprise Day call for clarity on social value

It’s Social Enterprise Day and there’s lots going on all around the UK. I’ve been part of a week-long Social Enterprise Festival in Plymouth where I met celebrity social entrepreneur Melody Hossaini and attended the launch of the brand new Futures Entrepreneurship Centre at Mark holder Plymouth University. The Festival has been very lively and inspiring and culminates in a Social Enterprise Trade Fair today, where Rachel Brown and the Social Enterprise Mark are taking part. I am also one of the 50 voices on the Guardian Network talking about what social enterprise means to me.

Tonight, I’m joining Alastair Campbell and the CBI for their annual dinner in Bristol to make links with business for our Mark holders. This evening in Plymouth, Julie Hawker, one of our Social Enterprise Mark Ambassadors is presenting the Social Enterprise Mark to Plymouth University and Peninsula Dental Social Enterprise. In addition Julie will be taking part in a social enterprise debate which explores how a city can become a social enterprise city. Anne Mountjoy will be linking up to the debate from the Exeter Social Enterprise Network by videolink.

For Social Enterprise Day, we’ve announced the results of our research which asks does the Social Value Act have Teeth? I urge you to share this announcement and the report widely – let’s create the momentum for the Social Value Act to start working for social enterprises.